


The Force of Destiny

by In_Pieces



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blackwatch Sombra | Olivia Colomar, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Overwatch Sombra | Olivia Colomar, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29385576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/In_Pieces/pseuds/In_Pieces
Summary: Gabriel Reyes has a daughter and, to his utter dismay (and pride), she’s just as stubborn as he is. Being a parent isn’t easy, especially when Olivia seems firmly determined to follow in his footsteps, no matter where that leads her.
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes & Sombra | Olivia Colomar
Comments: 14
Kudos: 18





	1. Tiny Commander Reporting for Duty!

Gabriel knew that bringing his kid to work was a bad idea. In fact, it was strictly forbidden, but everyone made exceptions for Ana so, naturally, people turned a blind eye when he started bringing in his own daughter.   
  
Plus, it was only once a week.   
  
Sundays were her nanny’s day off, and going through the arduous process of hiring another one for a single day would be too much of a hassle. Extensive background checks. Drug tests. NDAs. The list went on and on. And Gabriel would rather spend some much-needed quality time with his daughter rather than leaving her alone with a stranger.  
  
Olivia was _thrilled_ about it.  
  
She skipped towards the building, letting go of his hand only when they reached the door. Gabriel swiped his ID card with ease. She had to tip-toe and stretch her arm up as high as she could to show the camera the beaming smile on her card -she refused his help because she was a big girl now, apparently, and could do it herself. A high-pitched beep was all she needed to hear to give him a smug smile.  
  
Her ID card had been a gift from the tech department. It was functional, to a certain degree, but the Tiny Commander’s visits remained off the record for safety purposes -yes, someone added that title to her card, and, yes, she absolutely adored it.  
  
Olivia sat on a fluffy rug in his office as he tried to make a dent on the seemingly endless report requests on his hands. She kept herself busy with an old tablet he’d found at the bottom of a drawer, brows furrowed in concentration as she tapped the screen here and there, letting out a small frustrated groan when it didn’t react quick enough for her liking.   
  
Gabriel looked up, feeling a frown of his own knitting his brows together. He knew the base wasn’t a place for kids. It was too cold. Too boring. The sun was shining outside. The weather pleasant. Olivia should be out there, playing in a park, enjoying her childhood…  
  
It was a shame that she couldn’t.  
  
He never liked to say that he was a single father. Olivia’s mother was still in the picture, after all, even if Sofia only saw her twice a year when Gabriel sent the kid over to Dorado. Olivia always cried the first night she was back home. He couldn’t blame her. Things were different in Mexico. Less hectic. Actually normal. And maybe Olivia would be better off there, but he and Sofia had, more or less, _mutually_ agreed she’d have a better life with him. American dream and all that.   
  
The love between them fizzled out a couple of years after Olivia was born but, hell, kid needed her mother, and he’d offered to help Sofia get a green card multiple times, no strings attached. She always declined. A part of him had always known the reason why.  
  
Olivia’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts as she stared at him, shoulders dropped, the tablet long forgotten by her side. “Pa, I’m bored. Can I go visit my friends?”  
  
Her friends. The tech department. Olivia had always been drawn to technology, for some reason, so that cramped room was paradise for her, and everyone was only too happy to show the bright-eyed kid how to do this and that.  
  
Only problem was Olivia had sticky fingers. They were working on it.  
  
“Remember the rules?”  
  
Olivia let out an exaggerated sigh, annoyance coming out of every word. “Don’t take what’s not yours.”  
  
“What else?”  
  
“Don’t ask for food.”  
  
That was another problem. She’d claim she was hungry, get the whole department to buy her snacks, eat one or two, and shove the rest in her backpack so she could have chocolates and cookies for breakfast throughout the week. He’d warned them not to fall for it. They always did. Gabriel was sure that, by now, they associated Olivia’s pleading eyes with a guilt-free trip to the vending machine and an extra break.  
  
“And?”  
  
Olivia frowned. She looked cute with her nose all scrunched up like that.

“Don’t leave the room unless someone’s with you.” Gabriel said.  
  
That didn’t stop her from running down the hallway as soon as they stepped outside his office. She ignored him completely when he called out her name, and he had to jog behind her to catch up, giving people a small shrug when they got out of the way.  
  
“¡ _Hola_!” Olivia pretty much stormed in the room, all eyes landing on her. Some faces lit up. Some others looked more tired than before. He took no offense. His daughter could be… a handful. And, no, he wasn’t leaving her there so they would all babysit her. Kids lightened up the broody atmosphere that sometimes hung in the air, and he knew that a small distraction on a mostly-dead day would be much appreciated. As did the promise of free lunch.  
  
Gabriel didn’t know how she did it, but Olivia somehow ended up pulling out a bag of fries from her backpack a couple of hours later, not quite caring that they’d gone cold and stiff. He’d asked for apple slices with her kids meal and made sure to pack her a couple of healthy snacks, but he should’ve known better. Olivia refused to say who gave it to her -or if someone had _actually_ given her the bag at all.  
  
She opened the backpack once more when she was done to pull out a small pack of chocolate chip cookies that Gabriel instantly recognized from the vending machine downstairs. A hint of gunmetal gray poked through as she grabbed the shiny foil, and she hastily shoved it back down before she zipped the bag shut.  
  
Gabriel sighed.   
  
“What’s in your backpack?”  
  
“Cookies.” She replied, eyes glued to the tablet she’d just picked up.   
  
“Can I have one?”  
  
She offered him the opened pack.  
  
“Don’t want those. Can I have another one?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Cause they are mine.”  
  
“Are the wires in there yours too?”  
  
She’d always been such an expressive kid. Her eyes widened, face dropping before she gripped the tablet on her hands a little bit tighter. Gabriel extended his hand. Olivia shook her head.   
  
“It’s mine!”  
  
“Let me see it.”  
  
“You’re going to take it away!”  
  
“I won’t, I promise. I just want to see it.”  
  
Gabriel kneeled down in front of her, prompting Olivia to not-so-gently drop the tablet to put the backpack on protectively, the frown on her face deepening as she stared up at her father. It almost felt like she was waiting for him to lunge forward and rip it away from her hands. But he didn't. Gabriel shifted in place, making himself more comfortable and, once Olivia sensed no danger, she relaxed and begrudgingly unzipped it, taking out a child-sized glove before she pulled out a purple ribbon cable from another compartment, connecting the two together. She wasn’t lying, then. It was actually hers.

“What’s it for?”  
  
Olivia put it on her left hand and a purple screen appeared seemingly out of nowhere, hovering over her hand. Gabriel could tell she was proud of it, her eyes sparkling with a certain glint that he adored. Her search history was on the screen but, before he could take a good look at it, she balled her hand into a fist and it all disappeared.  
  


“You made that yourself?”  
  
“Marina helped me make it.”  
  
“Good job, _mija_.” He gently stroked her cheek, a sense of pride flourishing in his chest when Olivia smiled back with cheer joy, their little hiccup long forgotten.   
  
The rest of the day was uneventful, all things considered. He managed to finish some paperwork and make a couple of calls while Olivia tested out her new toy. She pretended to be asleep when it was time to leave so he’d scoop her in his arms. Was still ‘asleep’ when he parked the car in the driveway, mouth slightly agape to make it more believable. Her hands somehow found their way around his neck when he picked her up, and Gabriel chuckled softly. Maybe he spoiled her too much.  
  
He ended the day with a cup of coffee, idly watching the news on the TV as he leaned against the kitchen counter. Olivia’s door was slightly ajar, the pink glow from her nightlight seeping into the dark hallway.   
  
Gabriel never imaged he’d be a father by now, and could only hope he was doing a good job. His hours were always long and, some days, he only saw Olivia through a screen. She was never happy about that. And it was never easy to bid her goodbye when she had tears streaming down her face and hugged him so tight.   
  
Kid was too young to understand why he was gone so often, why he just couldn’t be with her, but, one day, she would. And, for now, all Gabriel could do was make sure his daughter had the chance to have the childhood she deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <3 And a special thank you to [magna-renegade](https://magna-renegade.tumblr.com/) for all the support and awesome headcanons.
> 
> Each chapter will have an edit, and I’ll try my best to update every Friday/Saturday.
> 
> _*All edits were made using stock images, pictures of different products, concept art, scenes from Sombra’s origin story, and in-game screenshots._


	2. A String of Bad Decisions

Gabriel’s cellphone began to buzz on the nightstand, jolting him awake. He’d barely slept over the last couple of days, and he glared at it before he reached for the damn thing, pressingly it loosely against his ear.   
  
“Reyes.” His voice was groggy, the tiredness making his eyes feel heavy enough to shut them as he waited for a reply. Gabriel recognized the voice at the other end of the line, the nervous greeting that took too much to leave the other man’s lips before he uttered four words Gabriel never thought he’d hear:  
  
“ _Olivia is in jail_.”

“I’m on my way.”  
  
The stress headache he’d gotten as soon as the call was over seemed to be drilling into his skull now, the raw anger flourishing in his chest making him grip the phone just a little too tight.   
  
Olivia had threatened to leave more than a couple of times because they weren’t getting along. He never believed she’d actually do it until, one day, he came back to an empty home and all her stuff gone. She’d left her phone on the bed as the cherry on top, and he would’ve moved heaven and earth to find her if Sofia hadn’t called to say she was in Dorado with her. 

Kid eventually reached out to say she was fine but didn’t want to come back. Or at least not yet. He regretted not dragging her ass back home, especially now that he’d found out she’d also left her mother’s place and had been doing fuck knows what all this time.

Dorado only had one lousy prison with stained tiles and annoyingly bright fluorescent lights. A lone cop sat behind a desk, chin propped up on his palm as he stared at a screen. He didn’t bother to look up when Gabriel approached him.

“I’m here to bail someone out.”

Bastard had the nerve to smile when he heard his accent, even if it faltered once he saw how unamused Gabriel looked. 

“Need to see an ID first.”

Gabriel knew how this would go, so he slid his government-issued Overwatch ID, and the cop – Martinez, going by the name tag on his chest-, picked it up with a frown. He inspected it carefully, watching the holographic parts of it glistening under the light before he deemed it real and gave it back to him.

“Who are you here for?”

“Olivia Reyes.” Gabriel sighed when Martinez gave him a blank stare. “Tall. Skinny. Violet eyes.”

“Ah, give me a second.” The cop left the comfort of his desk to go to a small room on the back for ‘privacy’, even if Gabriel could still hear everything he was saying over the radio. “Hey, Perez, an Overwatch agent is here for the girl. The one with purple eyes.” A pause, and then Martinez poked his head out, radio pressed to his chest. “Take a seat.

That worn-out chair was the most uncomfortable thing his ass ever had the displeasure of being in contact with. It creaked if he did as much as breathe, the annoyance piling up with all the emotions going through his mind. 

It took Perez half an hour to grace Gabriel with his presence. 

“Good morning, mister…”

“Reyes.”

“Reyes,” Perez echoed, putting on his best faux-concerned face. “Listen, I’m going to be honest with you. Things aren’t looking good for the girl. She’s going to be locked up for a while.”  
  
“She’s a minor.”

“A minor who will be on preventative detention until she’s of legal age.” 

“What are the charges?”

“Organized crime, firearm possession, and resisting arrest.” 

That was the last thing Gabriel needed to hear. He expected it to be something minor. Underage drinking, her being too loud on the street, but not organized fucking crime. He was pretty sure his headache was on the way to become a migraine now.

No doubt Olivia’s uncle said he couldn’t bail her out.

“How much do you want?”

“Are you trying to bribe me?” 

“Quit the bullshit and tell me how much.”  
  
Perez laughed. “Give me ten thousand dollars and no one will know she was here.”

And, that, he did. Perez took the time to count the money in front of him, mouthing the amount of 100-dollar bills as he did so before he turned to Martinez. “Bring her stuff, I’ll go get her.”

He had the decency to shove everything in a black garbage bag that Gabriel opened as soon as it was in his hands. The first thing he saw was a purple machine gun.

Perez escorted Olivia out not so long after. Green paint was all over her face and body to resemble a skull and bones. Her hair was bright pink, the sides all shaved and the rest up in a mohawk that was slowly losing its shape. 

She said nothing as she walked past Gabriel and out the door. He followed suit, her name sternly leaving his lips. She had the damn nerve to ignore him. No apologies. Not showing an ounce of gratefulness for him going out of his fucking way to clean up the mess she left behind.

Neither of them expected to see Sofia pacing outside. She stopped as soon as she saw Olivia, taking in all the paint on her face before she stormed towards them. 

The sound of her palm painfully colliding with Olivia’s cheek echoed through the empty streets before she spoke up: “Los Muertos? What the hell were you thinking?!” 

Olivia stood still, her act crumbling as tears starting welling up in her eyes that she refused to shed. Gabriel should’ve been glad her mother could also see the gravity of the situation. But he couldn’t. Not after that.

“Call a cab. We’re going home.”  
  
“I don’t have my phone.” Olivia replied, slowly, trying not to let the emotions spill out. Gabriel handed her his own, and watched as she walked away, leaning against a nearby pole before she pressed it to her ear.

“I don’t care if that’s how you do things here. Don’t lay a hand on my daughter again.”

“She’s my daughter too, Gabriel. And if you’re not going to discipline her then I will. She’s like this because of you.”

“Don’t act like you care when you never wanted her in your life.”

This time, he was the one who got slapped, and he could still feel the imprint of her hand long after she’d jumped in the car and sped away.   
  
That just told Gabriel he was right.

* * *

They stopped at Olivia’s studio before heading to the airport. She needed to get the rest of her stuff -and get rid of the damn paint on her face before she got arrested yet again.

Gabriel was certain their living room back home was bigger than her place. It was mostly neat, but she barely had a kitchen, her ‘bed’ was right beside the dining table and, two steps away from it, there was a small desk where she’d hooked up a bunch of computers that she took the hard drives out of before placing them in her luggage. 

“Just do it already.” Olivia said after she picked up a stray shirt off the ground. “I know you’re upset, so just yell at me and get it over with.”

Gabriel sighed, feeling that his eyes could very well explode due to the sheer amount of stress and frustration the day had brought upon him. He wanted to call her reckless and spoiled because that’s what she was, but that would just play into her little game, wouldn’t it? 

He knew the moment he raised his voice, she would do it too. Her temper was just as bad as Gabriel’s, and their arguments had always been explosive. But he was too tired for that. Too fucking drained to stand there for another hour saying things he might regret and pretending whatever Olivia said didn’t hurt deep inside.

So he did the one thing she wouldn’t see coming.

He left without a word and went straight to the airport without her.

* * *

The next flight left at 8:45 a.m. A glance at the clock on one of the screens scattered across the airport told him it was half past 4. Jack would be more than awake now, nose buried deep in paperwork back in Switzerland. Gabriel knew he’d take his call no matter how busy he was, but decided against it. This was a conversation he’d rather have in Jack’s apartment late at night, watching the ceiling fan lazily spinning above the bed.

He stared straight ahead, gaze lost in the myriad of people hurried walking all over the place sipping on overpriced drinks and eating tasteless sandwiches like the one he had in his hand not so long ago. Someone sat on the empty seat beside him, taking the shitty backpack he had to buy last minute to shove Olivia’s gun in and placing it on his lap. When he turned to look, he was met with his daughter's apologetic gaze. He could see the faintest tint of green on the back of her hands, the muted pink splotches on her shirt courtesy of the water drops that had fallen from her now-damp hair. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Sorry you joined a gang or sorry you got caught?”

“Sorry you had to do this because of me.” Olivia offered. “And sorry I got caught.”   
  
Gabriel knew that last comment was meant to, at least, _try_ to lighten the mood, but all it did was make him sigh. 

“Don’t ever do shit like that again, Olivia.” 

“I won’t. I promise.”

She rested her head on his shoulder, hugging his arm for good measure as a silent apology. Gabriel would think about what to do once they were home -she wasn’t getting off that easy after an apology and a little slap on the wrist- but, for now, he could only wait, feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders because his daughter was there, with him, and not in a shitty prison cell. 

Gabriel hoped this would be the last stunt Olivia would pull out for both of their sakes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, teenage rebellion, but make it _worse._
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	3. She's a Reyes

All Gabriel had eaten for the past month were plain, barely-seasoned dishes that did their job at keeping him alive. But, now that he was going home for a couple of weeks, he was ready to give his body what it craved. He’d called his daughter as soon as he landed, and she gracefully accepted the 2 a.m. dinner invitation.

Olivia was already there when he arrived, keeping herself busy on her phone. She’d managed to grab a table and had draped her jacket on the empty space in front of her to save the seat, much to the dismay of the line of people who glared at the chair with disdain.

_La Catrina_ had been Gabriel’s favorite food truck for decades, and, with time, it became Olivia’s favorite too. She said it was as good as it could get when it came to Mexican food, even if she still avoided ordering certain items after a couple of disappointing first impressions. 

Gabriel still remembered the way her eyes had lit up when they added _esquites_ to the menu. He knew she’d hate the way they made them in the States, and bit back his laughter until Olivia had eaten a big spoonful, and, with a frown, shoved the Styrofoam cup in his hands. They were _fine_ to him, but she’d always been picky with Mexican food, especially since she’d been jumping between the two countries far more often than he had.

“Saw Overwatch is recruiting again.” Olivia commented between bites, wiping some salsa that had fallen on her fingers before balling up the napkin beside her plate.

“Things have been rough lately. We need all the help we can get.”

“I’m thinking about joining.” 

Gabriel paused, leaving his taco back on the plate to give her a pointed look. She looked dead serious for a moment and, then, smiled in a way that screamed ‘I’m fucking with you’ before she took an innocent sip of her drink. He scoffed.

“I’d make sure you wouldn’t get in.” 

* * *

“Reyes? Thank God!” Captain Yang looked a bit too relieved when he saw Gabriel coming out of the bathroom in the east wing, and hurriedly walked over to him, holopad in hand. “My daughter’s sick and I need to pick her up from school. Would you mind taking over my session today?”  
  
“Still working with the newbies?”  
  
“Yeah, final stage. Need to narrow the group down to 10, maybe 12. I’ve already marked a couple of applications.” Yang leaned forward to show him someone’s application. He’d highlighted their name in neon yellow. “You just have to oversee them and pick a couple others from the group. So, what do you say?”  
  
“Yeah, I got it.”  
  
“Thanks, I owe you.”   
  
Yang practically shoved the holopad in his hands before he ran down the hallway. Gabriel watched him round the corner before he checked the time. He had 10 minutes to spare, just enough time to make it to the training room before the 9 a.m. session started.   
  
He and Yang were part of Overwatch’s unofficial parent support group. And, by that, he meant the handful of people who would have a harder time refusing favors if any kids were involved. He’d taken advantage of that more than a couple of times when Olivia was a little kid, so he was in no position to refuse, especially when Yang looked so distressed and Gabriel _could_ spare the couple of hours the session would last.  
  
The rookies were lounging around when he entered the room, and he recognized one of them all too well.   
  
Olivia was there, dressed in the plain uniform Overwatch had provided them with. They locked eyes. She gave him a little wave and a smile that he refused to return, opting to shake his head in disapproval. They were going to have a _long_ conversation about it later.   
  
She knew he would be out for almost a month, just enough time for her to go through with the selection process and pretend it never happened if she didn’t make it. He’d eventually find out, of course, but by the time that happened, it would all be over, and she would brush it off with a shrug.

Too bad he came back earlier than expected.  
  
“I’m Commander Reyes, and I’ll be taking over the session today.” Gabriel started. “This is the final stage of the recruitment process. You’re going to fight the bots that’ll spawn in the room with whatever you find in the armory. A medic is outside on stand-by in case things get ugly. But, before we start, I need to put a name to all your faces.” He turned to the holopad in his hand, bringing out their applications and calling out their names one by one.   
  
Olivia’s name was highlighted in yellow.

He watched them all from above, taking a couple of notes here and there that he knew Yang would appreciate. Olivia was good. She’d claimed she hadn’t touched another gun since her little incident with Los Muertos a couple of years ago, but she held it too confidently in her hand for that to be true -and that just made him wonder who had been helping her polish her marksman skills.  
  
The decision was his to make at the end of the day. 13 names had been selected, and all he needed to do was take one out. His finger hovered over Olivia’s application, frowning as he stared at his daughter’s face, noticing the faintest hint of a smug smile playing on her lips.  
  
He sighed.

* * *

Gabriel knocked twice before he heard the door unlock with a small snap. Jack was behind his desk and gave him a curt nod as a greeting, too engrossed in his work to do more. He hated the Strike Commander’s barely-comfortable sofa with a burning passion, but it was all the coziness he was going to get in his office.  
  
“Said you weren’t busy.”  
  
“I wasn’t, but this shouldn’t take long.”  
  
Bullshit.  
  
Gabriel needed a drink. A strong one, preferably, and, judging by the bags under Jack’s eyes, he needed one just as bad as he did. That’s why they were going out in the first place. Gabriel shifted, feeling the springs digging into his back as he stared at the open window behind Jack. The sun was going down, engulfing the sky in beautiful shades of orange and red. They would be there for another hour, if they were lucky.  
  
“How is she doing?” Gabriel asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. Olivia hadn’t said much about being an agent no matter how much he’d asked over the last couple of months, and no one would know more about it than Jack. Everything made its way to him, after all.  
  
“She doesn’t know how to follow orders and does whatever she wants.” Jack replied, tone flat, face hidden behind a screen. “In other words, she’s a Reyes.”   
  
Gabriel snorted. He could hear the smile in Jack’s voice when he said that last bit. “She’s good, then.”   
  
“Very.” Jack agreed and, after a pause, spoke up again, the sound of his voice no longer accompanied by the tapping noises of his keyboard. “Have you considered recruiting her for Blackwatch?”  
  
“Oh, fuck off.”  
  
Gabriel had every right to be upset at the suggestion. Her being in Overwatch was stressful enough, and Blackwatch was a different beast in itself. They had to work in the shadows, get their hands dirtier than anyone else’s, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she'd fit in just fucking _fine_.  
  
Olivia’s skills as a hacker were a great asset, even more so now that she’d gotten Winston to help build a translocator, and having her on the team could make things easier for everyone involved.  
  
Still, Jack wouldn’t bring it up just because.  
  
“She asked you about it, didn’t she?”  
  
“Told her she had to go through you first.”   
  
“I didn’t want her here, Jack.”  
  
“That was your call, just as it was Ana’s.”  
  
“She _knew_ it was. And don’t pretend you wouldn’t have done the fucking same if she were your kid.”  
  
Gabriel stormed out, drinking plans be damned, eyes momentarily locking on one of the pictures Jack proudly displayed in his office. It was an old picture they’d taken when Olivia won her former school’s high jump tournament. A shinny gold medal hung from her neck, arms wrapped around the men beside her. The three of them were smiling, and Jack looked just as proud as Gabriel did. 

It felt like a low blow seeing that now, for all he could think of was how Olivia had gone out of her way to ask Jack about Blackwatch instead of going directly to _him_ , knowing damn well the other man would try to soften the blow.  
  
Just like Gabriel had done with Ana when Pharah tried to join Overwatch.  
  
Amber, Olivia’s roommate, opened the door when he knocked on it, eyes widening.  
  
“Commander?”  
  
“I need to talk to Olivia.”  
  
Olivia had, somehow, managed to fit a desk in the room, and was staring intently at a screen in front of her. She took out her earphones when Amber tapped her in the shoulder, and frowned once she saw him by the door. They walked back to Gabriel’s office, away from prying eyes and ears, not a single word exchanged between them until he shut the door behind them.  
  
“I know what this is about.”   
  
“Then you know I’m not going to let you join Blackwatch.”  
  
“Why not?! I _know_ I can do more, pa. They want me to get a _warrant_ before I hack someone’s computer, and by the time it goes through, their hard drives had been wiped clean and there’s nothing I can do about it.”  
  
“That’s how things work, Olivia.”  
  
“But it’s not how they should be.” She retorted, and, as much as Gabriel hated to admit it, she had a point. Her expression softened for a moment, lips pressed into a thin line before she spoke again. “Just give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking for.”  
  
Having her under his command would be a damn liability, and the smartest thing he could do was say no and send her back to her room. Joining Overwatch was _her_ decision. She _knew_ how things worked. And if she had a problem with it, she should take it to her Captain. Not him.   
  
But Gabriel understood her all too well. He’d been in that same position before, knowing there was always an easier way to deal with problems and having to stick to some nonsensical bureaucratic bullshit that ended up doing more harm than good.   
  
So maybe, just maybe, he could let her try this _once_. See what she could do out in the field. And, if it didn’t work out and she didn’t get along with his main team, then he’d send her on her merry way and tell her not to speak about it again.   
  
“I’ll give you one shot at this,” Gabriel replied. “But Jack needs to approve it first.”

They both knew what his answer would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this week’s edit is a bit lackluster. I tried to have Sombra in her Overwatch uniform but my Photoshop skills can only go so far, lol.
> 
> Fun fact: esquites are a snack made with corn, cheese, hot sauce, butter, mayo, lemon, and chili powder. Some places in the States make it with sweet corn instead of white corn, which has a more neutral flavor, and it just doesn’t taste the same. Figured Sombra would be the one person to turn her nose up at ‘em. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	4. Gone Wrong

Jesse, for once, managed to keep his undercover job as a gardener for a little over two weeks, and that was only because the lady of the house had taken a liking to him. Tanja Abbot ignored the shitty trims and all the times he fucked around in exchange for a willing ear because he was the only one who actually _listened_ to what she had to say.  
  
The cowboy learned not only about what the couple would do every day, but about _other_ things he wasn't interested in -things that Gabriel had, unfortunately, heard once or twice through the comms followed by Jesse’s failed attempts at switching the topic. It was very clear Tanja had no idea what her husband truly did for a living. Jesse made him promise he’d put that on the record.  
  
The Abbots were off to a fancy cocktail party that night, and all they needed were a couple of hours to hopefully find what they were after. Gabriel and Jesse cleared the house while Genji got rid of the couple of guards that were doing rounds outside. Olivia took that distraction to hack the smart home panel in the kitchen, successfully disabling the security system around the property.  
  
Adam’s office was located on the second floor, and Gabriel instructed the team to look for any evidence about his involvement with Talon. He was certain Abbot was part of a gun trafficking ring that was supplying them with weapons, and, if they were lucky, he would have a list of his clients in there, somewhere -or, at least, any information about future deals they could conveniently bust. Olivia wasted no time sitting on the plush chair behind his desk, the sound of her fingers swiftly typing on a holographic keyboard filling the air as she hacked Abbot’s computer.

“He has a safe in the basement.” Olivia said, eyes still glued to the screen. “It might have his weapon stash.”  
  
“Jesse, Genji, go take a look at it. Let me know what you find.”  
  
Both men nodded and headed towards the door. Jesse went right ahead but Genji stopped as soon as he was out the door, noticing a blinking red dot shining through the hair of an unconscious body on the hallway. He kneeled down and plucked out the earpiece before he brought it close to his ear, frowning. “Commander.”  
  
Gabriel took it from his hand and put on, grimacing at how loud the person at the other end was.  
  
“ _Hello? Why the hell are you ignoring me?_ ”  
  
“I was busy.”  
  
“ _Busy doing what? Dicking around? Who is this, by the way?_ ”  
  
Gabriel motioned Jesse and Genji to go on with the plan before he addressed Olivia. “Need the name of one of the guys working inside today.”   
  
“I don’t know if Abbot has that here.”  
  
“Figure it out.”   
  
Maybe Gabriel said that a little too harshly, but he felt on edge with Olivia there. They’d gone through the plan so many times she could recite it by memory, and he knew the chance they could pull this off seamlessly was very, very high with Jesse and Genji around because they didn’t _need_ a four-man team to gather intel, but she wasn’t used to the type of work Blackwatch did. To the type of people they were up against. 

Jesse said there were a couple of guards outside who were in charge overseeing who came in and left the property. If they decided to investigate, they’d see the guards Genji had taken care of lying on the grass right by the entrace. They _could_ take them out, but the Abbots were used to seeing them lounging around and, if they were back early, a little signal was all it would take to have Talon on their asses. 

“ _If you keep ignoring me, I’m gonna call Marco and tell him to bring his people over because you can’t be bothered to do anything right_.”

“The name, Olivia.” Gabriel pressed.

“I’m working on it!” She hissed, looking up from the screen only to give her father a pointed look. She leaned in, brows furrowed, gaze lost in the information and, after a couple of tense seconds, she spoke up again. “Max Reid.”

“It’s Reid.” Gabriel said, keeping his finger pressed on the earpiece.

“ _Of course the only one who answers is the fucking new guy. Listen, Reid, do me a favor and tell the others I’m gonna beat their asses if they do this shit again_.”

“Got it.”

“You’re welcome, by the way.” Olivia said when he took out the earpiece, chin prompted up on her palm, trying to regain all the confidence that had wavered in those split seconds. The mission had her on edge too, Gabriel could tell as much, so he let her get away with it. No funny looks.  
  
The safe’s door was electronic, it only took Genji a couple of minutes to slice Abbot’s considerable weapon stash, and they left before the couple came back. All the information Olivia had found was safely in Gabriel’s computer back in HQ, and messing with Adam’s weapons was bound to get some buzz they would use in their favor. It seemed like they were on a lucky streak…

But, of course, things were never that simple.

One of the guards decided to go leave his post to buy lunch and had seen them sneaking off the property through the rearview mirror. He made a call before they managed to subdue him and, now, a small army of Talon’s troopers were hunting them down, the rendezvous point was 20 minutes away, and they had to try to keep everything contained to avoid any civilian casualties. 

Shotgun shots echoed through the empty streets, Genji’s blade leaving an eerie glow as he dashed to kill a couple of troopers near Olivia. One of Jesse’s flash bangs lit up the street somewhere on Gabriel's left, followed by the loud sound of the hacker’s gun piercing through their armors.

A flash of red jumped from one wall to the other, making Gabriel’s head snap in its direction. “Watch out for the Assassin!”

Her screams were unsettling, as if coming from all damn directions. She clung on a wall, glowing red eyes watching them from above before she abruptly dashed down and headed straight for Jesse, who was too busy helping Genji get rid of some troopers to notice her. Gabriel shoved him aside, making the cowboy lose his footing and, before he knew it, he was the one pinned to the ground, and she was furiously slashing him over and over again, each cut more feral and deeper than the last.

Last thing he remembered was the sound of heavy footsteps before it all faded to black.

* * *

The smell of alcohol was the first thing Gabriel noticed before his eyes fluttered open. The high-pitched beeping was the second. The third was something sticking to his cheek, making his skin feel as if it was being pulled uncomfortably taut. 

He recognized the pristine room as Overwatch’s infirmary. Could hear faint footsteps around him as well as groans and soft voices before his eyes landed on the teddy bear that was sitting by the foot of the bed. The IV connected to his hand stopped him when he tried to reach forward, and the rustling had been enough to wake up the sleeping guest beside his bed.

Olivia still had her Blackwatch uniform on, the drowsiness leaving her face at once when she noticed he was awake. Her eyes were red, gaze soft as she leaned forward, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

“How are you feeling, pa?”

“Like shit.” 

“You look like it, too.”

Gabriel snorted, and that was enough to send a bolt of pain through his body. His face and chest weren't the only parts that had taken a hit. The pain also traveled down his back and legs, and he knew the Assassin couldn’t have done all that damage on her own. 

“What happened?”

“They got backup. I think Genji called him a Heavy.” Olivia explained. “You took a couple of hits before we were able to get the Assassin off you.”

He nodded. They’ve dealt with them before, and they were always a pain in the ass. He looked around, dreading to see Jesse or Genji lying on another bed.

“We are all fine.” Olivia spoke up before he even had the chance to ask. The only thing he could see on her face was a small bruise near one of her cheekbones. That was relieving.

“How long have you been here?”

“A couple of hours,” She replied and, when Gabriel frowned, she continued. “Relax, the cowboy brought me food.” She showed him a Styrofoam cup that was stuffed with plastic wrap and shinny foil before she placed it back down beside her chair.

This wasn’t how he expected the mission to end. Hell, a part of him imagined he would be the one sitting on that chair, cursing himself for ever agreeing to bring her over in the first place. Funny how life worked. 

“I’ll be fine. You should rest.”

“Already did.”

“Sleeping on a shitty chair doesn’t count.” Gabriel retorted. “Go to bed, Reyes. That’s an order.”

“Who are you? My dad?” Olivia chuckled, far too tired to laugh. Gabriel just stared at her. “Ugh, _fine_.” The hacker rose from the chair and reached for the teddy bear, placing it gently on his chest. 

“Didn’t know you’d brought Arturito to the base.” 

“He’s good company.” She replied, and kissed Gabriel’s forehead goodbye. “I’ll be back at around 8. Amber told me we have a briefing at 9.”

“Take the day off.”

“The Cap would kill me if I did that.”

“I’m your boss now. Tell the others to do the same” 

Olivia's eyes widened as she took in his words, and a tired yet triumphant smile appeared on her lips before she nodded. “Whatever you say, _jefe_.”

Gabriel waited until she left before he looked at Arturito. He'd been lucky enough to get that teddy bear out of a claw machine on his second try, and a small army of kids had gathered around him as soon as Olivia had it in her arms, shoving coins in his hand and asking if he could get a plushie for them too. The memory made him smile, even if it was short-lived.

Olivia wasn’t a little girl anymore, and that would always be hard to swallow. It seemed like it was only yesterday when he held her in his arms for the first time, violet eyes full of wonder and curiosity for the new world around her.

He’d always hoped his daughter would strive for a better life than the one this line of work could offer, but this was all she’d known since she was young, and he’d been a fool to think she would stray away from the same path he’d followed.

But his kid was smart. Tough. Knew how to pull her weight. She'd earned this. And Gabriel had a feeling that, together, they’d have a bright future ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful thing about the word _jefe_ is that it means both boss and father. I highly doubt Olivia could refer to Gabe as 'Commander' with a straight face, so she can have this, lmao.
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


End file.
